A recent study by the Pew Research Center reveals that even in households where wives earn comparable or higher incomes than their husbands, traditional gender roles continue to dictate the division of labor at home. The findings indicate that women still bear a larger share of housework and childcare responsibilities while their male counterparts enjoy more leisure time and focus primarily on paid work.
The Pew study highlights that in 29% of heterosexual marriages, both partners earn roughly the same amount, approximately $60,000 each. Despite the financial parity, husbands in these relationships spend an average of 3.5 more hours per week on leisure activities compared to their wives. Conversely, wives dedicate approximately two hours more each week to caregiving and an additional 2.5 hours to housework than their husbands.
In a significant majority of marriages—55%—men remain the primary or sole earners, with median incomes of $96,000 compared to their wives’ $30,000. Interestingly, in 16% of marriages, women outpace their husbands in earnings, with women earning a median of $88,000 while their husbands bring in $35,000. Notably, the only scenario where men contribute more time to caregiving is in marriages where the wife is the sole breadwinner, where household chores are shared equally.
These patterns mark a stark contrast to the situation 50 years ago when 85% of marriages featured husbands as the primary earners. The evolving dynamics of marriage are influenced by various factors, including age, family status, education, and race. For instance, Black women are significantly more likely to be the primary earners in their households, with 26% surpassing their husbands’ earnings, compared to 17% of White women and 13% of Hispanic women.
Cultural attitudes about income and caregiving roles also play a vital role in these dynamics. According to the Pew survey, nearly half of Americans believe that men prefer to earn more than their wives, while only 13% think men would be comfortable with equal earnings. When it comes to women’s preferences, 22% of respondents feel most women desire a husband who earns more, while 26% believe women prefer a partner with a comparable income.
The survey also sheds light on societal expectations regarding parenting, with 77% of participants asserting that children benefit when both parents share responsibilities equally between work and childcare. Only 19% believe that children fare better when mothers prioritize home life while fathers focus on their careers.
The Pew Research Center’s findings are based on comprehensive data sources, including earnings statistics from the US Census, the American Time Use Survey, and a nationally representative survey of over 5,000 adults conducted in January. This study underscores the persistent inequalities in domestic labor and the complex interplay of income and caregiving roles in modern marriages.